1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector with grommet which includes a connector housing and a waterproof grommet attached to the connector housing whereby a fitting part of the connector housing and a panel is sealed by bringing the grommet into close contact with the peripheral edge of an attachment hole of the panel to which the connector housing is attached.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 12 to 14 show a connector with grommet disclosed in JP-A-2010-102872.
This connector 100 with grommet includes a connector housing 110 fittingly mounted in an attachment hole 141 of a panel 140 which is a cabinet, and a waterproof grommet 120 attached to this connector housing 110.
In FIG. 12, an arrow X indicates a width direction of the connector housing 110 and an arrow Y indicates a vertical direction of the connector housing 110 and an arrow Z indicates a direction of insertion of the connector housing 110 into the attachment hole 141.
The connector housing 110 includes a housing body 111 inserted into the attachment hole 141 of the panel 140, a flange 112 which is formed on the back end of the housing body 111 in a flanged overhanging state and can abut on the peripheral edge of the attachment hole 141, and a locking protrusion 113 projected and formed on the outer periphery of the housing body 111 so as to hold the panel 140 between the flange 112 and the locking protrusion 113.
The housing body 111 is equipped with a plurality of terminal receiving holes 115 in an aligned state. A terminal fitting connected to a circuit of the inside of the panel 140 is mounted in each of the terminal receiving holes 115.
Also as shown in FIG. 13, the locking protrusion 113 is a protrusion formed on the distal end of an elastic piece 114 capable of being elastically displaced inwardly (in a direction of arrow X1 in FIG. 13), and a gap S for holding the peripheral edge of the attachment hole 141 of the panel 140 is formed between the flange 112 and the locking protrusion 113. Also, when the housing body 111 is inserted into the attachment hole 141, the locking protrusion 113 retracts into the housing body 111 by flexure of the elastic piece 114 to enable insertion of the housing body 111 into the attachment hole 141.
The waterproof grommet 120 includes a flange attachment part 121 attached to the flange 112 so as to surround the outer periphery of the flange 112, and a tubular part 122 consecutively provided in the flange attachment part 121 so as to receive an electric wire extending from the back end of the housing body 111.
The inner periphery of the flange attachment part 121 is provided with a fitting groove 121a into which the outer periphery of the flange 112 is tightly fitted. The waterproof grommet 120 becomes coupled to the back end of the connector housing 110 by fitting the flange 112 into the fitting groove 121a. 
Also, on a surface of the side of the panel 140 in the flange attachment part 121, a lip part 121b as a panel contact part for exerting waterproof properties by making contact with the panel 140 is annularly projected so as to go around the periphery of the attachment hole 141.
When the connector housing 110 in which the waterproof grommet 120 is mounted is inserted into the panel 140 and the locking protrusion 113 of the connector housing 110 is locked in the periphery of the back side of the attachment hole 141, the locking protrusion 113 and the flange 112 become attached so as to hold the peripheral edge of the attachment hole 141. At this time, the lip part 121b can make close contact with the peripheral edge of the attachment hole 141 of the panel 140 to obtain a state in which a fitting part of the connector housing 110 into the panel 140 is sealed with the waterproof grommet 120 as shown in FIG. 14.